Boasting/Glorying in the Lord
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Recapping Sunday:
Recapping Sunday:
What WE BRING to the table is IRRELEVANT to the DISCUSSION:
15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Truth: What matters is being a new creation.
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(D.Q.) Where does the new creation come from? God’s work of redemption, the cross.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Theology Point: This is the NEW CREATION—BREAKING INTO the PRESENT!
**NEW CREATION LIFE COMES THROUGH CHRIST—SPECIFICALLY BEING “IN CHRIST”
ESTABLISHED THROUGH the CROSS
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Paul’s Conclusion: FAR BE IT FROM ME to BOAST—EXCEPT in the CROSS…
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Takeaway: BELIEVER HAS NO REASON to BOAST IN THEMSELVES…
Tonight,, Focus: ANOTHER PASSAGE CONCERNING CROSS & BOASTING…
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Background/Context:
Background/Context:
1 CORINTHIANS = WRITTEN BY PAUL to CHURCH W/ MANY PROBLEMS.…
SIN ISSUES
DIVISION
.…
ANSWER for ALL THINGS—THE CROSS. MESSAGE of the GOSPEL & RIGHT LIVING in LIGHT of that GOSPEL!
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PAUL’S OPENING:
GREETING & THANKSGIVING
PRAISE to GOD WHO SUSTAINS US
ADDRESSING DIVISIONS in the CHURCH…
Background: DIVISION CENTERED UPON DIFFERENT TEACHERS/BAPTIZERS…
PAUL = THANKFUL— HE DIDN’T BAPTIZE MANY, to CONTRIBUTE to ARGUMENT…
INSTEAD:
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
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Passage Focus:
Passage Focus:
Simplicity & Beauty of the Gospel
Power & Wisdom of God Displayed in the Cross
The Grounds for Human Boasting
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Transition ➡ READ V.18
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Passage Exposition:
Passage Exposition:
Thought 1: The Folly of the Cross (v18)
Thought 1: The Folly of the Cross (v18)
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
WORD/MESSAGE of CROSS—GOSPEL MESSAGE…
Recap: SUNDAY—SHARED ABOUT HOW the CROSS is VARIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD
**MANY PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEM WITH P.S.A.** — BUT IT’S WHAT the N.T. PLAINLY TEACHES…
“DIVINE CHILD ABUSE”
A GOD WHO NEEDS PROPIATED = ANTIQUATED…
Charge: WE CAN’T WATER DOWN the GOSPEL to MAKE it ACCEPTABLE to NONBELIEVERS…
GOSPEL & CROSS = INSEPARABLE
Struggle: CROSS = MIND-BOGGLING to NATURAL PERSON … “THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING”
**NOT a NEW PROBLEM:**
Scholar, C. Keener: “Associating power with a crucified man—the epitome of dishonor and weakness—thus made no more sense to ancients than it does to modern people outside Christ” (p. 463).
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to US—BEING SAVED = POWER of GOD.
**Exhort: NOTICE AGAIN—TWO CAMPS
PERISHING
SAVED
CROSS = SEPARATION BETWEEN the TWO…
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Transition ➡ THE FOLLY of the CROSS HAD a FURTHER PURPOSE…
READ: V.19-20
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Thought 2: God’s Destruction of the Wise’s Wisdom (v19-20
Thought 2: God’s Destruction of the Wise’s Wisdom (v19-20
19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
PAUL QUOTES ISAIAH the PROPHET to SUPPORT HIS CONTENTION ABOUT the CROSS
GOD HAS PURPOSED to DESTROY the WISDOM of the WISE…
Focus: HE DOES SO W/ “FOOLISH” MESSAGE...
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(v20) in response—WISDOM of WISE = HELPLESS to STAND BEFORE GOD!
GOD TURNED the WISDOM of the WORLD on ITS HEAD! ((@ the CROSS))
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Transition ➡ PAUL HAS ANOTHER COMMENT on GOD’S WISDOM…
Thought 3: God’s Wisdom & Choice of salvation (v21)
Thought 3: God’s Wisdom & Choice of salvation (v21)
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
Key Idea: CROSS = DIVINE,, NOT HUMAN WISDOM.
GOD—IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM—ESTABLISHED THAT PEOPLE WOULDN’T KNOW HIM THROUGH HUMAN WISDOM
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Instead: We know Him through the cross.
W/ CROSS—GOD HAS CHOSEN to SAVE THOSE WHO BELIEVE.
(D.Q.) What does that mean??
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Pisteuo, Word Study:
Pisteuo, Word Study:
**NOT JUST a CORRECT ANSWER on MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST**
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 31.85 πιστεύω; πίστις, εως
to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. πιστεύω
implication of total commitment to the one who is trusted.
TO BE FULLY RELIANT UPON ANOTHER!
Exhortation: SALVATION DEMANDS HUMILITY!
I AM HELPLESS—I NEEDED a RESCUER!!
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Transition ➡ PAUL WILL UNPACK HOW BACKWARDS GOD’S WAYS WERE from EXPECTATIONS…
READ. V.22-25
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Thought 4: The Stumbling Block & Folly of Christ-Crucified (v22-25)
Thought 4: The Stumbling Block & Folly of Christ-Crucified (v22-25)
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
JEWS & GREEKS—REPRESENATIVE of ALL PEOPLE…
JEWS EXPECTED SOMETHING MORE CATACLYSMIC…
MIRACLES, OVERTHROW of ROME
GREEKS SOUGHT WISDOM
Background: MAJOR SCHOOLS of PHILOSOPHY (ARISTOTLE, ETC.)
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Problem: NO HUMAN REASONING LIKED the CROSS!
NOT an OVERTHROW
NOT “WISE”
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INSTEAD: the MESSAGE of the APOSTLES WAS “CHRIST-CRUCIFIED”
Challenge: WE CAN’T CHANGE the MESSAGE THAT WAS ENTRUSTED to US…
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(v24) To Those Who Are Called—CHRIST = WISDOM & POWER of GOD. :
Calling: SPEAKS of GOD’S EFFECTUAL SUMMONS to SALVATION BY HIS SPIRIT…
Truth: GOD HAS to MAKE the CROSS MAKE SENSE to YOU.
HE HAS to OPEN YOUR EYES.
Encourage: WE CAN’T CONVERT ANYONE—ALL WE CAN DO is PRESENT the TRUTH…
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When our eyes are opened:
CHRIST—Power of God
GOD’S POWER to SAVE VIA the CROSS & RAISE CHRIST from the DEAD
CHRIST—WISDOM of God
Balance of love and justice??
WHEN the CROSS is MADE to MAKE SENSE—IT’S BEAUTIFUL.
WE JUST HAVE to SEE IT as GOD’S FAR-SURPASSING WISDOM.
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(V25) Irony: GOD’S “FOOLISHNESS” = WISER THAN MEN,, “WEAKNESS” = STRONGER THAN MEN.
**NOT THAT GOD’S WEAK** = POINT IS HE’S THAT MUCH GREATER—WHOLE DIFFERENT SCALE!!
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WE MUST TRUST GOD DOES BETTER THAN WE WOULD RUNNING the UNIVERSE.
Ref: GOD’S QUESTION to JOB.… “WHERE WERE YOU???”
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Transition ➡ W/ BACKWARDS NATURE of GOD’S WORK in MIND
APOSTLE WILL BRING THIS EVEN CLOSER to HOME
READ: V26
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Thought 5: Grand Reversal, God’s Choice of the Lowly (v26)
Thought 5: Grand Reversal, God’s Choice of the Lowly (v26)
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
GOD LIKES to DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN US.…
Example: GOD SHOOSING the LOWLY
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D.Q.: ANYONE THINK of EXAMPLES from SCRIPTURE?
GIDEON —LEAST of the LEAST
DAVID—RUNT of the LITTER
**DISCLAIMER** NOT EXCLUSIVELY the LOW…
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(V26) PAUL SAYS “NOT MANY”
WISE
POWERFUL
NOBLE BIRTH
HE DIDN’T SAY 0.
NOT THAT INCREDIBLE PEOPLE CAN’T BE USED… BUT GOD RECEIVES GREATER GLORY from HOPELESS SITUATIONS & LESSER PEOPLE**
=> NONE ARE DISQUALIFIED!
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Transition ➡ ((closing)) GOD’S PURPOSE in USING the WEAK & FOOLISH.…
READ: V.27-31
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Thought 6: The Goal—God’s Glory, Boasting in the Lord (v27-31)
Thought 6: The Goal—God’s Glory, Boasting in the Lord (v27-31)
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
God did all this…
to HUMBLE the MIGHTY
& SO NONE WOULD BOAST BEFORE HIM…
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Recap Galatians: ALL our WORKS ARE WORTH NOTHING as REGARDS SALVATION…
INSTEAD: WE HUMBLY RECEIVE the FREE GIFT… of GRACE.
BECAUSE of HIM… WE ARE in JESUS CHRIST
WISDOM—WISDOM of GOD is REVEALED in the CROSS
RIGHTEOUSNESS — HE is the SOURCE of MY JUSTICATION/RIGHT-STANDING W/ GOD
SANCTIFICATION — HE is the SOURCE of MY HOLINESS/SEPARATION for GOD
REDEMPTION — HE is the SOURCE of MY FREEDOM from SIN!
**IT is in CHRIST THAT I MUST BOAST—HE’S MY EVERYTHING!
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Closing/Application/Takeaways
Closing/Application/Takeaways
The Cross is the Answer.
TO the PROBLEM of SIN — HE is OUR SUBSTITUTE
TO our DIVISIONS — WE’RE ALL on EQUAL GROUND.
**Quote: THE GROUND is LEVEL @ FOOT of the CROSS**
JEW, GENTILE
SLAVE, FREE
STRONG, WEAK
WISE, FOOL,
RICH, POOR
**WE’RE ALL HOPELESS APART from the CROSS**
MESSAGE of CROSS = FOLLY to UNBELIEVERS
TO US— GROUNDS of OUR HOPE
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NOW…THROUGH the CROSS,, I CAN BOAST THAT I KNOW the LORD…
THAT HE MADE HIS WILL KNOWN to ME.
THAT HE REVEALED MY NEED for SALVATION
THAT HE MADE a WAY FOR ME @ CALVARY
**WE CANNOT KNOW GOD BY WORLDLY WISDOM—
— BUT WE CAN KNOW GOD VIA the CROSS**
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Discussion Questions:
Discussion Questions:
WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE RUN from the PLAIN TEACHING of the N.T. ABOUT SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT?
Closing Questions/Thoughts??
